• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.457-469
• /
• 2009

Applicability of bioleaching techniques using a sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, for remediation of shooting range soil contaminated with toxic heavy metals was investigated. The effects of sulfur concentration, the amount of bacterial inoculum and operation temperature on the efficiency of heavy metal solubilization were examined as well. As sulfur concentration and the amount of bacterial inoculum increased, the solubilization efficiency slightly increased; however, significant decrease of heavy metal extraction was observed with no addition of sulfur or bacterial inoculum. Bacteria solubilized the higher amount of heavy metals at $26^{\circ}C$ than $4^{\circ}C$. Lead showed the highest removal amount from the contaminated soil but the lowest removal efficiency when compared with Zn, Cu and Cr. It was likely due to formation of insoluble $PbSO_{4(s)}$ as precipitate or colloidal suspension. Sequential extraction of the microbially treated soil revealed that the proportion of readily extractable phases of Zn, Cu and Cr increased by bacterial leaching, and thus additional treatment or optimization of operation conditions such as leaching time were required for safe reuse of the soil. Bioleaching appeared to be a useful strategy for remediation of shooting range soil contaminated with heavy metals, and various operating conditions including concentration of sulfur input, inoculum volume of bacteria, and operation temperature exerted significant influence on bioleaching efficiency.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.32 no.11
• /
• pp.745-756
• /
• 2023

Growing stringent global regulations in Korea poses a threat to corporate sustainability. Companies must respond strategically to navigate these regulations and avoid greenwashing. Objective of this research was to analyze how Korean companies are responding to the global trend of reducing plastic use and propose improved management strategies. Seven indicators were developed to assess companies' post-plastic strategies and applied to analyze the sustainability reports of Amore Pacific and LG Household & HealthCare. These indicators included, 1) disclosure of plastic raw materials used by weight or volume, 2) disclosure of recycled plastic raw materials used by weight or volume, 3) disclosure of waste recycling, reuse amounts, and disposal using waste treatment method 4) strategies to reduce environmental impact of plastics, 5) plastic packaging, reduce, recycle, reuse, and composting (in the real environment), 6) plastic management roadmap for the circular economy, and 7) education for sustainable plastic management. Based on the review of considered companies, we propose in-listed sustainable plastics management strategies: disclosing the ratio of plastic raw materials and recycled raw materials for all products, considering recycling rate throughout the product value chain, and not only for the production phase, reviewing carbon dioxide emissions based on life cycle assessment rather than reducing plastic consumption, studying the biodegradability of biodegradable plastics in natural environment such as soil, considering the consumer's perspective.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2014

A large amount of acidic waste solution is generated from the practical electrokinetic decontamination equipments for the remediation of soil contaminated with uranium. After filtration of uranium hydroxides formed by adding CaO into the waste solution, the filtrate was recycled in order to reduce the volume of waste solution. However, when the filtrate was used in an electrokinetic equipment, the low permeability of the filtrate from anode cell to cathode cell due to a high concentration of calcium made several problems such as the weakening of a fabric tamis, the corrosion of electric wire and the adhension of metallic oxides to the surface of cathode electrode. To solve these problems, sulfuric acid was added into the filtrate and calcium in the solution was removed as $CaSO_4$ precipitate. A decontamination test using a small electrokinetic equipment for 20 days indicated that Ca-removed waste solution decreased uranium concentration of the waste soil to 0.35 Bq/g, which is a similar to a decontamination result obtained by distilled water.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.223-230
• /
• 2000

A rearing experiment of the olive flounder was performed in a set of water-reuse system to test the reusability of the water in culture system with (i) a foam fractionator to separate particles from water and (ii) a culture tank contain mineral particles to filter the metabolic wastes by adsorption and/or decomposition. Two kinds of commercially processed loess particles and a dolomite particle (all 50 ${\mu}$diameter) were tested. The mineral particles were suspended in the culture tank and the water was pumped into the foam fractionator, where the particles were separated and drained out with foam from the system. In a circular culture tank of 4.8 m in diameter with 10 d water, the juvenile olive flounders (23.1 g/fish, 5,555 fish, 128 kg total body weight) were stocked. 90 % of the rearing water was reused and turnover rate of the water in the tank was two times per hour. Water temperature was maintained 17${\pm}$1$^{\circ}C$. At the end of 75 day-experimental rearing, 5,532 flounders, weighing 468 kg, were harvested. An individual flounder grew to 84.6 g of body weight. The final stocking density was 26.0 kg/$m^2$. No diseases were observed during the experiment.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.43-50
• /
• 2011

As a result of population growth and economic growth, household and industrial wastes continue to rapidly increase every year. Especially, sewage sludge produced at final stage is increasing with the constant construction and putting in good order of the sewage plant. In addition to the government's prohibition for filling up the sludge, it became more and more difficult to discharge wastes to the sea as London Dumping Convention '96 came into effect. And sewage sludge and the livestock wastes are expected to be thoroughly prohibited from discharging to the sea from 2012. So we need desperately economical and useful alternatives to compact and reuse these wastes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utilization of solidified sludge-soil mixture as an enhancement and covering material. To determine the proper mixed ratio of solidified sludge, this study conducted basic physical properties tests, compaction tests, uniaxial compression tests, and permeability test. It was found that the higher the ratio of solidified sludge, the lower the coefficient of permeability. Upon the results of particle size distribution, the mixed ratio of solidified sludge that meet the enhancement material condition was 59% or lower for SP granite soil and 48% or lower for SM granite soil respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.112-120
• /
• 2006

It is possible to divide the historical changes of slope revegetation in Japan into five periods as follows; 1) The early period after creation(1927-1948), 2) The spreading period of modern revegetation work with manpower(1947-1958), 3) The spreading period of rapid revegetation technique using exotic grasses with machineries(1959-1985${\dots}$), 4) The spreading period of rapid reforestation technique by fast growing species mainly using leguminous shrub species(1986-1995${\dots}$), 5) The developing period of nature restoration technique using endemic arborous species(1996-). Recently main purpose of slope revegetation has been developing from the erosion protection to the nature restoration in the current of the 5th period. It is said that the role of the Japanese Society of Revegetation Technology(JSRT) is critical to the history of slope revegetation in Japan. 'The tentative guidelines of slope nature restoration' was announced by JSRT in 2004. In the guidelines, it was proposed that the planning techniques of using suitable seeds/plants based on the preservation level at the each construction sites. Moreover, the use of soil seed bank is the new and important study theme in the field of nature restoration. Consequently, at present the importance of advanced monitoring methods for vegetation maintenance and plant sociologic survey to evaluate the plant succession is increasing. Finally, some critical concepts are necessary to develop the field of restoration in Korea as follows; 1) monitoring of constructed sites, 2) ensuring of biodiversity, 3) recognition of slow revegetation and mosaic arrangement in revegetation, 4) reuse and recycle on the construction sites, and 5) promotion of specialist.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.201-214
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to identify forest topsoil's usefulness from July 2013 to Oct 2014. Generally, there are abundant seeds in topsoils and it can be used at restoration works. Mt. GARIWANG is famous for biodiversity in Korea. This study was aimed to find out the suitable utilization methods of natural topsoils for restoration works at sky-slopes construction sites. Test beds was made to identify suitable collecting times and suitable topsoil thickness. The main results are summarized as follows. First, Mt. GARIWANG have diverse species and in topsoils we can find lots of burried seeds which can be used at restoration works. Second, according to indoor experiment, as the depth of topsoil used thicker, the number of plants and coverage rates were increased. Also, there were no distinct differences in coverage rates between 5cm and 8cm thick topsoil plots and it can be possible to use at least 3cm thick topsoils even thou lower coverage rates. Third, as the results of research about indoor and outdoor experimental plots, there were difference in plant emergency. If we use the stabilizer to protect soil erosion, then we can get more increased results at sloped outdoor experimental plots. Fourth, based on environmental impact assessment, there was 389 species in whole region of Mt. GARIWANG. Through this seed bank experiments, we can find 23 varieties, including 4 tree varieties and 19 herbaceous varieties. We can find lots of native herbaceous species from topsoils. Fifth, this research was done at the specific area of Mt. GARIWANG and used limited topsoils. But we monitoring more longer periods, then there will be more useful outcomes. Finally by researching topsoils of Mt. GARIWANG, we can find diverse native plants. Thus, we must reuse natural topsoils of Mt. Gariwang for restoration of original vegetation.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.30 no.2C
• /
• pp.119-131
• /
• 2010

In this study, beneficial use of ocean contaminated sediments were investigated by laboratory and environmental tests, and their prototypes were released. Dredged material from Ulsan port is used for making cement treated samples and lightweight foamed samples, and various engineering tests were performed to identify the compressibility and stress-strain behaviors. Environmental tests were also performed for the beneficial uses. The values of Cu are a little higher than the suggested standard possible for reusing dredged material and equal to the suggested standard alarming for reusing dredged material, which shows environmental harmfulness for the reuse of construction material. In addition, particle size distribution, compaction test, Atterberg limit tests, specific gravity test, and unit weight test were performed to investigate the use of landfill cover materials. The shear strengths of cement treated soils were found to be enough for reclamation works.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.51-58
• /
• 2023

In this study, an empirical experiment was conducted to assess the feasibility of replacing groundwater with rainwater in melon cultivation using a smart rainwater harvesting system. The rainwater harvesting efficiency was calculated under three different melon cultivation scenarios. After cultivation, the quality of the fruits grown with rainwater and groundwater was compared by examining the weight, degree of sweetness, and flesh hardness of the products. The results revealed that the water quality of the smart rainwater harvesting device was suitable for melon cultivation to provide better hardness and chloride levels than groundwater. It was also estimated that about 40% of the total water demand for full growth of the melon could be supplied by rainwater. The fruit weight and sweetness were equivalent or slightly better for the melons cultivated with rainwater than those cultivated with groundwater. In particular, the flesh hardness was significantly improved by rainwater cultivation. These results collectively suggest that rainwater can be used as a substitute for groundwater to preserve groundwater resources without compromizing the produced fruit quality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
• /
• v.5 no.2 s.10
• /
• pp.56-65
• /
• 1999

Recently, new concept and paradigm of 'Environmentally-Friendliness' is taking a growing interest in environmental planning and design. This study is to establish the evaluation model for environmentally-friendliness of 'Tourism Farms' in rural areas by LISREL structural equation model. A questionnaire survey was conducted for deputy manager group and expert group. As the Result of LISREL structural equation model, the environmentally-friendliness of tourism farms is composed of three categories. First, conservation of global environment (Low Impact), second, friendliness to surrounding nature(High Contact), and third, environmental health and amenities (Health & Amenity). Five indicators, such as (1)saving of energy and water resource, (2)reduction and reuse of garbage, (3)natural purification of sewage disposal, (4)utilization of natural energy, (5)campaign and education programs of environmentally-friendliness, were affecting the first category, i.e., conservation of global environment(Low Impact). Friendliness to surrounding nature (High Contact) is affected by 3 indicators, (1)contact to nature and diverse green areas, (2)water intimate & contact areas, (3)natural ecology observation by biotope. Finally, the dimension of environmental health and amenity is affected by 3 indicators, (1)nature affinity by farming experience, (2)environmental-friendliness of soil & crops by organic farming, (3) campaign and education programs of environmentally-friendliness. Total coefficient of determination of the structural equation model by LISREL was 0.897, which showed high explanatory power.